Chapman, 70, and dependent upon a wheelchair for his mobility, did not attend a perfunctory scheduling hearing yesterday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn.

He remains held on $25,000 cash bail, but has also been eligible for release from prison since May after the state Supreme Judicial Court ruled he was no longer sexually dangerous.

Subsequent to that controversial decision, Chapman was indicted on charges of open and gross lewdness and lewd, wanton and lascivious acts for allegedly exposing himself to and masturbating in front of prison nurses in June.

Chapman's attorney Melissa Devore said yesterday she only just received the grand jury minutes and would be reviewing them for any potential grounds to seek a dismissal of the charges.

Chapman's final pretrial conference is Nov. 30.

Chapman served nearly 30 years for the rapes of two Lawrence boys in 1977, and has been held on a civil commitment since 2004 as a sexually dangerous person. He is suspected of molesting as many as 100 children in three states.

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